They are often shaped into meatballs which are prepared with a mixture of ground meat, rice and leeks, and served dry. In India, vegetarian varieties, like lauki kofta and shahi aloo kofta, are popular, as religious beliefs generally forbid consumption of meat. In Iran and parts of Pakistan, koftas are served with a spiced gravy, as dry versions are considered to be kebabs. Shrimp and fish koftas are found in South India and West Bengal, and in some parts of the Persian Gulf states.

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The meat is often mixed with other ingredients such as rice, bulgur, vegetables, or eggs to form a smooth paste. Koftas are sometimes made with fish or vegetables rather than red meat, especially in India. They can be grilled, fried, steamed, poached, baked or marinated, and may be served with a rich spicy sauce. Variations occur in North Africa, the Mediterranean, Balkans, and India. According to a 2005 study done by a private food company, there were 291 different kinds of kofta in Turkey. [1] In Arab countries, kufta is usually shaped into cigar-shaped cylinders.

Early recipes (included in some of the earliest known Arabic cookbooks) generally concern seasoned lamb rolled into orange-sized balls, and glazed with egg yolk and sometimes saffron. This method was taken to the West and is referred to as gilding, or endoring. Many regional variations exist, notable among them the unusually large Azerbaijan (Iran) Tabriz kuftesi, having an average diameter of 20 cm, (8 in).[2] and despite its association with Iran.

In Central Asia kofta is cooked with liberal amounts of tail fat. [3] Koftas were introduced to India with the Muslim conquests. Koftas in Indian and Pakistani cuisine are normally cooked in a spiced gravy, or curry, and sometimes simmered with hard boiled eggs. Kofta dishes are very popular with immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent to the U.K., and are widely available from many and Indian restaurants. Vegetarian koftas are generally eaten by Hindus, with the exception of Kashmiri Hindus who by and large prefer meat koftas. The British dish Scotch egg may have been inspired by the Moghul dish nargisi kofta ("narcissus kofta"[4]), where hard-boiledeggs are encased in a layer of spicy kofta meat.[5] In Bengal, a region of eastern India, koftas are made with prawns, fish, green bananas, cabbage, as well as minced goat meat. In Kashmir, mutton is often used in the preparation of koftas, as opposed to beef or lamb.

In Lebanese cuisine, kafta is usually prepared by mixing the ground beef with onion, parsley, allspice, black pepper and salt.[6]

In Albania they are usually made from beef, veal, pork or a mixture of them. They are usually served with Meze or Tarator. They are very popular all around Albania and there are many small shops called Qofteri which offer Qofte and also serve beer.